Chrysler has been forced to recall almost 210,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs, after it was discovered the vehicles contained a suspension component that could rust and potentially fall off. In other news, your school run just got quieter thanks to a drop in obnoxious SUV-owning roadhogs.
Jeep Liberty owners may have no idea what a rear lower control arm is, but it’s kinda important – it attaches a car’s suspension to its wheel. And, inconveniently for Chrysler, it seems the rear lower control arm on 2004 and 2005 Liberty models was prone to rusting and breaking away. Oops. The fault was spotted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Chrysler has confirmed that the number of recalled vehicles will total 209,746.
However, not all Jeep Libertys in the country will require returning. The NHTSA says only vehicles in “salt belt” states will need to be returned. The recall will begin in April, in the following states:
Connecticut Delaware Illinois Indiana Iowa Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont West Virginia Wisconsin Washington, D.C.
While over 200,000 SUVs seems like a lot – and, er, it is – Chrysler’s problems are dwarfed by those experienced by Toyota. In 2008, the company was forced to extend corrosion warranties and repurchase Tacoma pickups from the 1995-2000 and 2001-2004 model years – that totaled over 800,000 vehicles – because frames were prematurely disintegrating.
And in 2010, Ford called back 475,000 Windstar minivans, when it was discovered rusty rear axles were falling clean off the frame.
